Former U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas, more than 17 years after the deadly 2009 shooting that left 13 people dead and 32 others injured.
The execution date was announced by Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle after President Donald Trump approved the death sentence. According to the Army, the execution is scheduled for 1 p.m. Central Time at Fort Hood.
The case is drawing national attention because, if carried out as scheduled, it would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961. It would also represent the first military execution by firing squad in decades.
What happened at Fort Hood in 2009?
The case dates back to November 5, 2009, when Hasan, then an Army psychiatrist, opened fire at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood.
The attack killed 13 people — 12 soldiers and one civilian — and wounded 32 others, according to Army and court records. Hasan was seriously wounded after being shot by a responding police officer and was subsequently taken into custody.
The Fort Hood shooting became one of the most serious attacks ever carried out on a U.S. military installation. The victims included service members who were preparing for deployment.
In 2013, a military jury convicted Hasan of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. He was sentenced to death and eventually transferred to military death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Why is Nidal Hasan being executed by firing squad?
The Pentagon announced earlier this week that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended execution by an Army firing squad and President Trump approved the recommendation.
Military executions are different from most civilian death-penalty cases in the United States. Presidential approval is required before a military death sentence can be carried out.
The planned execution is therefore receiving attention beyond the Hasan case because of the rarity of the military death penalty.
The last U.S. military execution occurred in 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging after being convicted of rape and attempted murder.
The last U.S. military firing-squad execution occurred much earlier, during World War II, when Pvt. Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion in 1945.
Could the December 3 execution date change?
Although the Army has announced the December 3 date, the execution is not necessarily guaranteed to happen on that day.
Legal appeals can potentially delay the process. The Associated Press reported that Hasan could pursue a habeas corpus case in federal court, which could potentially put the execution on hold.
That means the Nidal Hasan execution date remains an important development, but additional legal proceedings could affect whether the sentence is carried out as currently scheduled.
Victims’ families face another major moment
For the families of the Fort Hood shooting victims, the announcement represents another significant moment in a case that has remained in the public eye for years.
Families were notified about the planned execution before the announcement became public, and survivors and relatives have been given information about potentially attending the proceedings.
The Fort Hood community has continued to remember the people who died in the 2009 attack through memorial services and commemorations.
A historic moment for U.S. military justice
The planned Nidal Hasan firing squad execution is unusual not only because of the crime involved but also because of its place in U.S. military history.
If carried out on December 3, it would end a more than six-decade gap since the U.S. military last executed a service member. It would also renew public discussion about the death penalty, military justice and the use of firing squads as an execution method.
For now, Army officials have set December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood as the scheduled date. The case could still change if Hasan pursues additional legal challenges.
The story remains closely watched as the U.S. military moves toward what could become its first execution since 1961.